Nursing device



Oct. 23, 1956 c. M. SHAPIRO 2,767,871

NURSING DEVICE Filed July 22, 1952 INVENTOR- .5 0'0,

United States Patent NURSING DEVICE Clarence M. Shapiro, Chicago, Ill.Application July 22, 1952, Serial No. 300,312

9 Claims. (Cl. 215-11) This invention relates to a novel nursing devicefor use with existing types of nursing bottles having a nipple and anannular cap for securing the nipple across the open end of the bottle.

Many of the conventional nursing bottles presently in use consist of aglass or a plastic bottle having a neck and wide mouth with the neckbeing provided on its exterior surface with a screw thread or otherinterengaging means. An annular cap having a vertical wall and ahorizontally directed flange is provided with an internal thread on thevertical wall portion for cooperation with the external thread on theneck of the bottle. The nipple which is adapted to be used with said capand bottle consists generally of an upstanding nipple portion having afeeding or nursing hole, or holes, at its uppermost end and of aconfiguration simulating the nipple of the human breast. The lower, orbreast, portion of the nipple is rounded outwardly and has at its lowerend a radially outwardly extending flange which is adapted to be clampedby its margin between the horizontally extending flange of the cap andthe top surface of the neck of the bottle. The nipple is adapted to befilled with liquid from the bottle during the feeding operation in orderto provide a continuous source of the liquid. However, a full nipplefrequently leads to an over abundant flow causing choking, gagging,air-colic and waste of liquid.

As is known, these conventional artificial nipples, formed of plastic orrubber, do not provide a feeding action comparable to that of the humanbreast, since, in the human breast, the nipple is not filled with liquidas in the case of artificial nipples because the human nipple comprisesa covering and outlet and flexible duct through which milk is sucked.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved artificialnursing nipple by association with said nipple of my nursing device,which nipple and nursing device, together, more closely simulate thehuman nipple and the natural duct feeding system thereof.

In accomplishing the foregoing object I provide a flexible tubular ductleading from the interior of the bottle to the nursing aperture in thenipple so that the conventional nipple itself merely comprises a softresilient covering and an outlet for the resilient duct, thereby closelysimulating natural feeding from the breast. In this fashion the feedingor nursing apertures are not open to, or in communication with a fillednipple, so that the possibility of too much flow of liquid with itsresultant disadvantages is substantially eliminated. In the preferredform of the resilient tubular duct, its upper end conforms to the innersurface of the nipple and abuts thereagainst around the feedingapertures.

A further object of the invention is to assure the continued flow ofliquid from the nursing bottle through the fluid duct when the infantsucks on the nipple. Suck ing on the nipple will produce a vacuum in thebottle which, if not relieved, stops the flow of liquid and prevents thechild from receiving suflicient nourishment. By this invention Ipositively assure the breaking of any such vacuum so that an even andcontinuous flow of liquid is made possible with minimum effort on thepart of the infant.

In accomplishing the foregoing object of relieving vacuum, I provide aone-way valve action which permits the entry of atmospheric air to breakthe vacuum and which prevents the outward flow of liquid from the bottlethrough the air passageway means. In the preferred form of the inventionthis one-way valve action is provided by a resilient portion in the baseinvention.

My invention includes a further advantage, namely, a base portion whichrenders easy the association therewith of a valve and tube arrangementwhich is illustrated in the copending application of myself and AugustI. Braun, Serial No. 254,296, filed November 1, 1951. The presentinvention is also an improvement on the structure shown in my copendingapplication Serial No. 254,839, filed November 5, 1951.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a nursing devicein the form of an attachment which is readily associated with a varietyof different forms of artificial nipples and which will not work loosetherefrom when placed in use, regardless of the vigor with which theinfant manipulates the nipple. However, it is a further advantage of thedevice that it is readily dissociated from the nipple by the mother whensuch dissociation is desired for cleaning purposes.

It is a further advantage of the invention that it may be readilycleaned and sterilized and is of such form and construction that thecost of production, both in materials and in labor, is minimized.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent, or be obvious, from the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of the device of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1, the small airpassageways being shown larger than in actual use in order that they maybe readily seen;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional View of the device ofFigure 1 associated with a conventional bottle, nipple and cap, thedotted outline in said figure indicating how a further attachmentdescribed in the copending application of myself and August J. Braun,referred to above, may be associated with the device;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of thebase portion of the device shown in Figure l with the air passagewaymeans being of a modified form;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the modification of Figure4;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section of another form of theinvention'with portions shown in elevation;

Figure 7 is a top plan View of the device of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, enlarged, vertical cross section of thedevice of Figure 6 shown associated with a conventional nursing bottle,cap and nipple, said device being in a position of use wherein vacuumwithin the bottle is being relieved; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a modification of the deviceshown in Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figures 1, 2 and 3, thereference numeral 10 indicates generally the nursing device of myinvention which comprises a disk-like base portion, indicated generallyby the reference numeral 12, an axial extension 14 of said base portion,and a pair of air passageway means, indicated generally by the referencenumerals 16. A single air passageway of the device of my .means, or morethan two, spaced apart equally, may be employed. The axial extension 14of the base portion 1s of a diameter permitting it to be frictionallygripped within the open end of a nipple, indicated generally by thereference numeral 18, and to separate the space 17 within the nipplefrom the interior of the body. The base portion is of a diameterpermitting it to extend across the open end, or mouth, 19 of a bottle,indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 and to seat by itsmargin on the top surface 22 of the wall defining the neck, or upperend, 24 of the bottle.

Each air passageway means 16 comprises a groove 26 in the top surface 28of the base portion 12, together with an opening 30 extending downwardlyfrom the inner end of said groove 26, said opening communicating betweenthe groove 26 and the interior of the bottle 20. The groove 26 extendsinwardly, preferably radially inwardly, from the side edge 31 of thebase portion 12. The diameter of the base portion 26 is such that itfits within the threaded cap, indicated generally by the referencenumeral 32, of the bottle 20 and has sufficient side clearance with thevertical wall 34 of said cap that air may pass along between the innerside of the vertical wall 34 and the threaded neck 24 of the bottle 20and reach the air passageway means 16 which extends from the edge 31 ofthe base portion inwardly to the interior of the bottle. The horizontalflange 36 of the annular cap 32 fits within a channel 38 at the lowerportion of the nipple 18 where said lower portion connects with theflange 40 of the nipple.

Extending upwardly from the axial extension 14 of the base portion 12 ofdevice is means defining a resilient, or elastic, tubular duct 42 theupper end 44 of which is formed to conform with the inner, upper surfaceof the nipple 46 about the nursing aperture, or apertures, 48, so as toabut thereagainst around said aperture, or apertures, and to separatethe space 17 within the nipple 18 from the duct 42 and the interior ofthe bottle 20. Preferably, the means defining the resilient duct isformed integrally with the axial extension 14, and said axial extension,duct 42 and base portion 12 preferably are all formed of a resilient orelastic material. The opening, or what might be called the duct, 52communicates with an opening 54, the latter extending through the centerof the base portion 12 and its axial extension 14. It will be observedthat the bottom surface 56 of the base portion 12 is planar exceptwhere, as at 58, it tapers inwardly toward the central opening 54. Thetaper renders easy the insertion of a metal tube and sliding valvestructure such as is indicated generally at 60 in dotted outline inFigure 3 and as is clearly described and shown in the copendingapplication of myself and August I. Braun, referred to above.

When the device 10 is to be put into use, it is first inserted withinthe nipple 18 by inserting the axial extension 14 into the open end ofthe nipple so that the resilient tubular duct 42 abuts against theinner, upper surface of the nipple 18 around the feeding aperture, orhole, 48. The base portion 12 fits against the flange 40 of the nippleand the nipple and device are then inserted through the opening in theannular cap 32 and the cap, together with the nipple 18 and device 10,is threaded into place on the neck of the bottle 20. The opening 52 ofthe resilient duct 42 therefore provides direct fluid communicationbetween the interior of the bottle and the nursing apertures 48 in thenipple, without the nipple being completely filled with milk. As theinfant sucks on the nipple 18, there is no swallowing of air from thespace 17 within the nipple 18. Continued sucking tends to produce apartial vacuum within the interior of the bottle 20. However, air atatmospheric pressure may enter the interior of the bottle by flowingbetween the threaded neck 24 of the bottle and the vertical wall 34 ofthe annular cap 32 and along the side edge 31 of the base portion 12 ofmy device 10 and thence inwardly through the slot or groove 26 andthrough the opening 30 to the interior of the bottle. Consequently, aneven flow of fluid of the proper volume may be sucked by the infantthrough the fluid duct and the nursing aperture, or apertures, 48 in thenipple with no collapsing of the nipple 18. The structure resulting fromthe combination of the nipple 18 and the device 10 closely simulates theshape and feel of the human nipple.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, there is shown a modification of theair passageway means 16. In addition to the grooves 26, there are alsovertically extend ing grooves 62 in the edge 31 of the base portion 12.The openings or passageways 30a, however, instead of being substantiallyvertical as shown in Figures 1 through 3 and instead of being ofsubstantially uniform diameter throughout, taper inwardly and downwardlyfrom the inner end 64 of groove 26 in communicating with the interior ofthe bottle. The diameter of the passageways 30a where they come to thelower surface 56 of the base portion 12 is such that they normally tendto be closed, or substantially so, so that the resilient material of thebase portion 12 at those points forms a one-way valve structure whichprevents flow of liquid from the interior of the bottle upwardly throughthe passageways 30a. But, upon the existence of partial vacuum withinthe bottle, the resilient parts 66 of the base portion 12 at the lowerend of openings 30a are stretched or moved by atmospheric air pressureto open up the passageways 30a. Ample relief of the partial vacuum isprovided without providing a structure which will leak fluid from thebottle.

With the device 10A of Figures 4 and 5, the operation, in conjunctionwith the nipple, cap and bottle, is substantially the same as in thecase of the device 10 of Figures 1 through 3, except for the valveaction noted and except that there is additionally provided the verticalgrooves 62 to further assure an adequate flow of atmospheric air to theinterior of the bottle even if the cap is threaded on to the bottle tootightly.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, the device in modified form isreferred to generally by the reference numeral 10B. Those portions ofthe device which are the same as those shown in Figures 1 through 3 havethe same reference numerals applied, while the differing portions eithercarry a different reference numeral or the same reference numerals as inFigures 1, 2 and 3 with the suffix b added. The principal differenceresides in the air passageway means 16. Openings or passageways 30bconsisting of a slot through the base portion 12 are employed in placeof the openings or passageways 30 or 30:: of Figures 1 and 4,respectively. Each slot 30b preferably is arcuate with its center ofcurvature being the central axis of the device 10. The slots 30b arespaced from the inner ends 64 of the grooves 26 and are disposedgenerally crosswise of said radial grooves. The inner ends 64 areupwardly tapered or beveled as at 68 so that atrnospheric air pressuretends to be directed onto the top surface 28 at those parts of the baseportion 12 indicated by the reference numeral 66b which are disposedbetween the tapered portions 68 and the slots 30b. When partial vacuumtends to form in the interior of the bottle 20, atmospheric air pressurepassing through the groove 26 and up its tapered inner end 68 flexes theresilient part 66b of the base portion 12 downwardly as viewed inFigures 6 and 8 sufiiciently to permit the flow of atmospheric airpressure to the slots 30 and thence through the base portion and theninto the interior of the bottle 20. The direction of the air and theflexing of portion 66b is illustrated best in Figure 8. At such time aspartial vacuum ceases to exist within the bottle 20, the resilient parts66b of the base portion 12 move upwardly to their normal positionagainst the under surface of the flange 40 of nipple 18, therebyproviding a one-Way valve action preventing loss of liquid from thebottle.

In Figure 9 the structure is essentially the same as that 5 in Figures'6 through :8, with the exception that in place of slots 30b there aresubstituted'sl-its 300. The flexing action of the resilient parts 66bbetween the inner end of the grooves 26 and said slits 30c is like thatdescribed above with respect to Figures 6 through 8.

Both the slots 30b and slits 30c permit adjacent .portions of the baseto yield to the finger and :thumb of the person who is removing thedevice, .so that the thumb and finger may grip the axial extension 14.for easily withdrawing the device from the nipple 18 when so desired.

While I have described preferred forms of the invention, it will beappreciated that changes may be made therein without departing from thescope of the invention. By way of example, I may employ a singleair'passageway means, instead of a plurality of them, in the variousforms of the invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited to theparticular forms shown and described, except insofar as the appendedclaims are so limited.

I claim:

1. A nursing device for use with a nursing bottle having a nipple with anursing aperture therein and an annular cap for securing the nippleacross the open end of the bottle, said device being usable with thebottle and the nipple during nursing and comprising a base portion, airpassageway means in said base portion extending inwardly from its edgeand providing communication between the interior and exterior of saidbottle, said air passageway means normally being blocked by a resilientyieldable part of said base portion with said yieldable part moving inresponse to atmospheric air pressure to unblock the air passageway meanswhen vacuum develops in the bottle, an axial extension on said baseportion having a diameter permitting it to be frictionally grippedwithin the open end of said nipple for separating the space within thenipple from the interior of the bottle, an opening through said baseportion and its axial extension adapted to provide communication betweenthe interior of said bottle and the aperture in the nipple.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said yieldable resilient part of saidbase portion which normally blocks said air passageway is disposed atthe end of said passageway adjacent the interior of the bottle.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the air passageway means includes aslit through said base portion disposed inwardly from the edge of saidbase portion, and wherein the resilient yieldable part of the baseportion is positioned between said slit and that portion of the airpassageway means which extends inwardly from the edge of the baseportion.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the air passageway means includes acurved slot through said base portion disposed inwardly from the edge ofsaid base portion, and wherein the resilient yieldable part of the baseportion is positioned between said curved slot and that portion of theair passageway means which extends inwardly from the edge of the baseportion.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the curved slot is arcuate and has itscenter corresponding to the center of the base portion and wherein thatportion of the air passageway means extending inwardly from the edge ofthe base portion lies along a radius of the base portion.

6. A nursing device for use with a nursing bottle having a nipple and anannular cap for securing a nipple across the open end of the bottle,said device being usable with the bottle and the nipple during nursingand comprising a disk-like base portion adapted to fit within saidannular cap and to seat by its outer margin on the open end of thebottle beneath the nipple, a vertically extending groove in the verticaledge of said base portion adapted to provide air clearance, with respectto said cap, a groove in the top surface of said base portion extendinginwardly from the first mentioned groove a distance greater than thethickness of the bottle Wall at its open end, an air passagewayextending downwardly through said base portion to establishcommunication between the opposite surfaces of said base portion, saidpassageway accommodating the passage of atmospheric air from said secondmentioned groove to the interior of the bottle to relieve vacuumtherein, an axial extension on said base portion having a diameterpermitting it to be frictionally gripped within the open end of thenipple :for separating the space within the nipple from the interior ofsaid bottle, an opening through said base portion and its axialextension, resilient tubular means connected with said axial extensionand adapted to extend freely into said nipple, said resilient tubularmeans being adapted to provide direct communication between thefinterior of the bottle and the feeding hole of the nipple and to sealthe space within the nipple from the interior of said tubular means andthe interior of the bottle.

7. A nursing device for use with a nursing bottle having a nipple with anursing aperture therein and an annular cap for securing the nippleacross the open end of the bottle, said device being usable with thebottle and the nipple during nursing and comprising a base portion, airpassageway means in said base portion extending inwardly from its edge,said air passageway means being inclined inwardly and downwardly throughthe base portion and establishing communication between the interior andexterior of the bottle, said air passageway means normally being blockedby a resilient yieldable part of said base portion with said yieldablepart moving in response to atmospheric air pressure to unblock the airpassageway means when vacuum develops in the bottle, an axial extensionon said base portion having a diameter permitting it to be frictionallygripped within the open end of said nipple for separating the spacewithin the nipple from the interior of the bottle, and an openingthrough said base portion and its axial extension adapted to providecommunication between the interior of the bottle and the aperture in thenipple.

8. A nursing device for use with a nursing bottle having a nipple and anannular cap for securing a nipple across the open end of the bottle,said device being usable with the bottle and the nipple during nursingand comprising a disc-like base adapted to fit within the annular capand to seat by its outer margin on the open end of the bottle beneaththe nipple, a vertically extending groove in the vertical edge of saidbase adapted to provide air clearance with respect to the cap, a groovein the top surface of said base extending inwardly from the firstmentioned groove a distance greater than the thickness of the bottlewall at its open end and tapering upwardly to the top surface of saidbase, said grooves communicating with atmospheric air to the exterior ofthe bottle, an air passageway extending downwardly through said base toestablish communication between the opposite surfaces of said base, saidair passageway comprising a curved slot spaced from the inner end of thesecond mentioned groove and disposed generally cross-wise with respectto said grooves, the portion of said base lying between the inner end ofthe second mentioned groove and said curved slot being resilient andflexible, said portion of said base normally engaging the lower surfaceof the nipple to block otf communication between said grooves and saidcurved slot, said portion of said base being responsive to the pressuredifferential between said grooves and the interior of the bottle whenvacuum exists in the bottle to flex away from the nipple and accommodateand establish communication between said grooves and said curved slot torelieve vacuum in the bottle, an axial extension on said base having adiameter permitting it to be frictionally gripped within the open end ofthe nipple for separating the space within the nipple from the interiorof the bottle, an opening through said base and its axial extension, andresilient tubular means connected with said axial extension and adaptedto extend into the nipple to establish direct communication between theinterior of the bottle and the feeding hole of the nipple.

9. A nursing device for use with a nursing bottle having a nipple and anannular cap for securing a nipple across the open end of the bottle,said device being usable with the bottle and the nipple during nursingand comprising a disc-like base adapted to fit within the annular capand to seat by its outer margin on the open end of the bottle beneaththe nipple, a vertically extending groove in the vertical edge of saidbase adapted to provide air clearance with respect to the cap, a groovein the top surface of said base extending inwardly from the firstmentioned groove a distance greater than the thickness of the bottlewall at its open end, an air passageway extending downwardly throughsaid base from the inner end of said second mentioned groove to theunderside of said base, said base at the lower surface thereof includinga resilient part normally closing said passageway adjacent its lowerend, said grooves and said passageway communicating with atmospheric airto the exterior of the bottle, said resilient part of said base beingresponsive to the pressure differential between said grooves andpassageway and the interior of the bottle when vacuum exists in thebottle to flex and accommodate opening of said passageway to relievevacuum in the bottle, an axial extension on said base having a diameterpermitting it to be frictionally gripped within the open end of thenipple for separating the space within the nipple from the interior ofthe bottle, an opening through said base and its axial extension, andresilient tubular means connected with said axial extension and adaptedto extend into the nipple to establish direct communication between theinterior of the bottle and the feeding hole of the nipple.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS411,794 Eggers Oct. 1, 1899 2,093,130 Kurkjian Sept. 14, 1937 2.387573Ganson Oct. 23, 1945 2,520,157 Little Aug. 29, 1950 2,546,681 SearerMar. 27, 1951 2,584,359 Miles Feb. 5, 1952 2,624,485 Boston Ian. 6, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 488 Germany Sept. 21, 1877

